Pneumatic-despatch apparatus.



No. 729,448.. PATENTED' MAY 26, 1 903 P. R. YTA'ISEYF- PNEUMATICDBsPATcH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1902.

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UNITED STATES-.7

Patented May26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRED RITAISEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE TAISEYPNEUMATIC SERVICE COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A COR- PORATION OFINDIANA.

PIN EU MATlC-DES PATCH APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,448, dated May 26,-1903.

Application filed January 8, 1902. Serial No. 88,8281 (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, FRED R. TAISEY, of Indianapolis, county of Marion,and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and usefulPneumatic-Despatch Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear,'and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts. J

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic-despatch apparatus.

The chief novel feature consists in carriers with a cushion at each endcentrally recessed and selecting devices or means within said recesseswhereby different carriers will actuate different switchesin the systemand the ends of the carriers will be cushioned and free from any pins,projections, or disks ex tending beyond the cushions. Such projectingpins, disks, and the like injure the valves and other parts of themechanism with which they come into engagement, and when the carrier isdischarged-upon a counter, table, or other receptacle it is betterthatthe ends Y be wholly cushioned and free from metal projections.Projecting'pinson the ends of car riersalso often cause the ends oftwocarriers to engage each other and lock while passing through a curve,and they slip on the trip and fail to act positively. t g

A featureof'the invention also consists in a pneumatic-despatch tubeprovided with switches for turning thecarriers from the main tube intobranch or discharge tubes, the trip mechanisms'for actuating saidswitches having graduated projections and the carriers havinggraduatedrec-esses located centrally in the cushioned endsthereof forengaging and actuating saidtrip mechanisms.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a central longitudinal section ofan end of a series of carriers and the corresponding. trip mechanisms.Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the switch-section ofa pneumatic-despatch-tube system, parts being in side elevation and themain tubes broken away. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of said switchsectionwith the casing removed from the chamber in which the switch-levers aremounte ed. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same on the movable sideplate' 23 line 5 5 of Fig. 2, but considerably enlarged. Fig. 6 is aside elevation of a trip mechanism when in its unoperated position and acentral longitudinal section of one end of a modified carrier inposition to actuate it. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the trip mechanismafter it has beenpartially actuated and-sis in position to throw theswitch and a section of one end of a modified carrier. Fig. 8 is acentral ver tical section of the trip mechanism asshown in Fig. 6 and asection of one end of amodified carrier.

In detail, 10 represents the ends of the main pneum atic-despatchtube,and 11 is the switchsection that connects the two ends of said maintubes, making acontinuous conduit.

12 is a branch tube or terminal.

13 is a switch for deflecting the carrier 14 from the main tube to thebranch tube or terminal. The switch normally closes the branch tube 12and is mounted on the shaft 15, that extends through the sides of theswitch-section 11 and has on the outside a crank 16, which isconnectedby a bar 17 with a crank 18,0n .a shaft 19,that is mounted inthe switch-section in a chamber abovethe path of the carrier 14. Thechamber in which shaft 19 is mounted is shown in Fig. 3, being formed bythe upwardly-extending walls 20 and 21 and the lid 22 and the re- Thechamber is madeonthe side to contain the cranks 16 and 1 8 and bar. 17by a horizontally-extending wall 24, to which the removable side plate23'isse'cnred.

On the shaft 19' the trip mechanism for "throwing'the switch is mounted,consisting of the frame 25, that is pivoted on the shaft 19 and hangsdownwith its lower end divided into two oppositely-located arms 26 inthe path of the carrier. The swinging frame 25 has two side pieces and afront plate, as appears in Figs. 3 and 6. 7 Between the two side piecesa ratchet-wheel 26 is rigidly secured to the shaft 19. On each side ofeach swinging frame there is a'washer or collar 28 and 29 to hold saidframe in position. The collar 29 is spool shaped and has coiled aroundit the spring 30, which is fastened at its upper end to a lug on theswitch-section, and its lower end is connected with the lug 32 on theside of the swinging frame 25. The function of this spring 30 is toreturn the trip mechanism to its unoperated position. Such returnmovement of the frame 25 is limited by the stop 33, extending inwardfrom the wall 20 of the casing,which engages the downwardly-turned endof the catch 34, pivoted to the side of the swinging frame by the pin35.

In the swinging frame 25, between its two sides, a trip-pawl 36 ispivoted near its middle by the pin 37. The upper end of this tripisturned toward the ratchet-wheel to form a projection or tooth to enterthe notch of the ratchet-wheel 26. on it that is engaged by the hookedend of the catch 34, and such catch holds the trip in engagement withthe ratchet, as seen in Fig. 5, during the operation of the tripmechanism. A spring 39 tends to hold the catch 34 in engagement with thepin 38. The stop tends to throw it out of engagement with said pin asthe trip mechanism returns after actuation. The spring 40 (seen in Fig.6) is mounted between the front plate of the swinging frame 25 and thetrip-pawl 36 above its pivotal point and tends to hold the trip-pawl outof engagement with the ratchetwheel. The lower end of the trip 36extends forward between the arms 26 of the swinging frame and beyond andin advance of the same, as shown. In the series of the switchthrowingmechanisms scattered through the system this extension or projection 42on the lower end of the trip-pawl 36 is graduated in length, or at leastsuch projections beyond frame 25 are of different lengths.

The carriers 14 consist of a suitable metal casing, the ends of whichare held between an inside cap 45 and an outside cap 46, (shown in Fig.7,) said caps being held in place and together by the screw-bolts 47,which extend also through the cushion 48, and a selecting device,consisting here of a metal plate 49.

All the cushions have central recesses 50, in which said plates 49,which are made of metal, are embedded or held so that every carrier hasboth its ends wholly cushionedthat is, without any hard projection orsurface. The recesses in the cushions of the various carriers differ indepth and, if desired, may be graduated, as shown. As shown in Fig. 1,the cushions are graduated in thickness, or, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7,the distances of plates 49 from the bodyof the boxv may be graduated.The result of either construction, however, is the same, as they bothcause recesses graduated in depth, with a hard trip actuating surface atthe bottom of the recess.

In operation the carrier-box is forced pneumatically through the maintube, as seen in Fig. 2. When a carrier comes into engagement with atrip mechanism that has not been designed to be actuated by itthat is,whose trip projection is not sufiicient to cause it to engage the metalplate in the bottom of the recess before the cushion engages the swing-The trip 3l has a pin 38 ing frame 2,5-the trip mechanism will be thrownback without operating the switch. In such case the trip mechanismremains in the position shown in Fig. 4, except that it is swung backand out of the way of the carrier, and the upper end of the trip-pawl 36does not engage the ratchet-wheel 26. The foregoing operation resultswhere the depth of the recess in the end of the carrieris greater thanthe length of the projection of the lower end of the trip in front ofthe lower end of the swinging frame. When a carrier is passing the depthof whose recess is less than the extent of the projection of the lowerend of the trip, the plate 49 in the carrier will engage the trip 36before the cushion engages the swinging frame 25. Then the trip 36 isinstantly changed from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown inFig. 6-tha,t is, the lower end of the trip is thrown backward and theupper end forward into the notch in tho ratchet-wheel 26-and the catch34 drops down over the pin 38 and holds the trip in such engagingposition. The further movement of the carrier pushes the whole tripmechanism backward and upward, and during such movement the upper end ofthe trip-pawl rotates the ratchet-wheel 26, which in turn actuates theshaft 19, crank 18, bar 17, crank 16, shaft 15, and switch 13, changingthe switch from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In such case the carrier willbe deflected from the main tube to the branch tube or terminal. Afterthe carrier has entered the branch tube or terminal the switch and tripmechanismwill return to their unoperated position through the action ofgravity, and especially of the spring 30, until the swinging frame isstopped by the catch 34 engaging the. stop 33. Such stopping movementthrows the hook end of the catch 34 upward, whereby the pin 38 on thetrip escapes the catch under the influence of the spring 41. Then thetrip mechanism is in the unoperated position. (Shown in Fig. 5.) Abufier 60 on the top plate 22 stops the opening movement of the switch,and a buffer 51 on the same plate receives the backward throw of thetrip mechanism as the carriers rush through. The branch tube 12 isclosed by the cap 53, hinged at 54, and held closed by the arm 55,pivoted by the pin 56 to the post 57, and held and controlled by thespring 58, wound about said pin 56, with one end resting on the post 57and the other end acting against the arm 55. When the trip mechanismreturns after a carrier has passed through and the lower end of thecatch 34 strikes against the stop 33 to disengage the catch from the pin38, the lug 61 on the side of the frame 25 to which the spring 39 isattached acts as a stop to limit the movement of said catch. To do this,the lower end of the catch 34 has an extension 62 on it turned towardthe lug 61, as shown in Fig. 6. This takes the strain off of the spring39 in the return movement of the trip mechanism caused by the spring 30and makes a positive and sudden stop.

What is claimed to be the invention to be secured by Letters Patentis- 1. A carrier for pneumatic-despatch'apparatus havingaswitch-selecting device located on the end thereof, and a cushionsurrounding and extendingvbeyond the same.

2. A carrier for pneumatic-despatch apparatus having a cushion on theend which is centrally recessed, and a switch-selecting device at thebottom of said recess.

3. A series of carriers for pneumatic-despatch apparatus with recessescentrally located in the ends thereof that are graduated in depth.

4. A series of carriers for pneumatic-despatch apparatus having cushionson their ends, and centrally-located recesses therein that are graduatedin depth.

5. A series of carriers for pneumatic-despatch apparatus having cushionson their ends that are graduated in thickness.

6. A series of carriers for pneumatic-despatch apparatus having aswitch-selecting device located centrally on the ends thereof, and acushion surrounding and extending beyond the same, the extension of thecushion beyond the switch-selecting device in theseries of carriersbeing graduated.

7. In a pneumatic despatch apparatus, switch throwing trips havingprojections graduated in length, and carriers with ends having recessesgraduated in depth adapted to engage the projections on the trips.

8. In a pneumatic-despatch apparatus, the combination with-the maintube, of switchtuhes leading therefrom, switches for deflecting thecarrier-box from the main tube to the branch tubes, trip mechanisms foroperating said switches that extend into the passageway of the maintube, and a series of carriers having central recesses in their endsthat are graduated in depth to operate said trip mechanism.

9. In adespatch-tube system, the combination with a main tube and aseries of branch tubes leading therefrom, of switches located at thejunctions of the several branch tubes,

with the main tube, switch-operating mechanisms located at saidjunctions, said mech-' anisms including as an element thereofcarrier-selecting devices graduated as to length,

and a series of carriers having recesses formed therein for cooperationwith said selecting devices correspondingly graduated in depth,substantially as described.

10. In a despatch-tube system,the combination with a main tube and aseries of branch tubes leading therefrom, of switches located at thejunctions of the several branch tubes with the main tube,switch-operating mechanisms located at said junctions, said mechanismshaving as an element thereof pivoted tripping-levers disposed across thepath of the carriers and provided with projections graduated in length,and a series of carriers having recesses in their heads, to cooperatewith said projections and correspondingly graduated in depth,substantially as described.

11..In a pneumatic-despatch apparatus, a switch-throwing trip mechanismincluding a pivoted frame, and a trip-pawl pivoted to said frame whichwhen actuated throws the switch, a portion of said trip-pawl extendingin front of said frame.

12. In a pneumatic-despatch apparatus, a series of switch-throwing tripmechanisms including a pivoted frame, and a trip-pawl pivoted to saidframe which when actuated throws the switch, a portion of said trip-pawlextending in front of said frame and such extension being graduated inthe series.

13. In a pneumatic-despatch-apparatus,carriers with the ends thereofcentrally recessed, and a switch-throwing trip mechanism including apivoted frame that extends into the path of the carrier, and a trip-pawlpivoted to said frame which when actuated throws the switch, a portionof the trip-pawl extending in front of said frame and adapted to enterthe recesses in the carriers and be actuated thereby.

14. In a pnenmatic-despatch apparatus,carriers whose ends have centralrecesses graduated in depth, and a series of switch-throwing tripmechanisms each of which includes a pivoted frame that extends into thepath of the carriers, and a trip-pawl pivoted to said frame and whichwhen actuated throws the switch, a portion of said trip-pawl extendingin front of said pivoted frame and such ex: tension being graduatedin'the series and adapted to enter the recesses in the carriers and beactuated thereby.

15. In a pneumatic-despatch apparatus, a switch, a shaft, a connectionbetween the shaft and the switch for operating the switch, a ratchetsecured on the shaft, a frame pivotally mounted on the shaft andextending into the path of the carriers, a trip-pawl pivoted between itsends to said frame, the upper end adapted to engage the ratchet-wheelwhen actuated and thereby throw the'switch and the lower end adapted tobe engaged and actuated by the carriers, a pin on said switch pawl, acatch on the side of the pivoted frame pivoted between its ends with ahooked end adapted to engage the pin on the trip-pawl, a stop forlimiting the return movement of the trip mechanism which engages'andactuates the catch to disengage it from the pin on the trip-pawl, and astop on the pivoted frame to limit the movement of said catch.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed mysignature in the presenceof the witnesses herein named.

FRED R. TAISEY.

